ARTIST STATEMENT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the validity of the canon, paintings of the old masters on the walls of museums like the Met, the Louvre, Rijks museum still have a certain cache. They're revered not just for their technique but because they enshrine our collective past experience. Of course, it's a selected past that gets validated. Conspicuously absent to me as a gay man is my own story. By presenting contemporary males as objects of desire in familiar looking art historical settings, I'm able to imagine (and allow viewers to imagine) a past that includes rather than excludes gay experience-and ride the coattails, as it were, of art history's imprimatur.
BIOGRAPHY
Hempel was born in El Monte, CA, in 1953 and received his BA from Cal State Northridge in 1985 and his MA from UC Boulder in 1988. He has exhibited extensively throughout the US since 1987 and his paintings are included in numerous private and public collections including the Denver Art Museum, Microsoft Art Collection, and the New Britain Museum of American Art (CT), among others. He splits his time between Colorado and Arizona.
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the validity of the canon, paintings of the old masters on the walls of museums like the Met, the Louvre, Rijks museum still have a certain cache. They're revered not just for their technique but because they enshrine our collective past experience. Of course, it's a selected past that gets validated. Conspicuously absent to me as a gay man is my own story. By presenting contemporary males as objects of desire in familiar looking art historical settings, I'm able to imagine (and allow viewers to imagine) a past that includes rather than excludes gay experience-and ride the coattails, as it were, of art history's imprimatur.
BIOGRAPHY
Hempel was born in El Monte, CA, in 1953 and received his BA from Cal State Northridge in 1985 and his MA from UC Boulder in 1988. He has exhibited extensively throughout the US since 1987 and his paintings are included in numerous private and public collections including the Denver Art Museum, Microsoft Art Collection, and the New Britain Museum of American Art (CT), among others. He splits his time between Colorado and Arizona.
HISTORIC PAINTING REFERENCES
ISOLATION: The painting on the wall is a detail of “Mars and Venus; an Allegory of Peace” (1770), by Louis Jean Francois Lagrenee (1724-1805)
A PORTABLE EDEN: Background landscape based on JMW Turner’s “Crossing the Brook” (1815). Fairy figures lower left are from Philipp Otto Runge (1777-1810) “Arion’s Sea Journey”
NO LONGER TIED TO THE PAST: Background is based on William Mulready’s (1786-1863) “Near the Mall, Kensington Gravel Pits” (1812-13)
BEFORE THE MIRACLE: Setting is based on Orazio Gentileschi’s (1563-1639) “Annunciation” (1623)
A DREAM OF SAFETY: Landscape (and drapery) based on Gerard David’s (1460-1525) “Rest on the Flight to Egypt” (c.1510)
SLOW RECOVERY: Cornelis Van Spaendonck (1756-1839), “Still Life with Flowers” (1789)
INTROSPECTION: Medusa head is based on the Caravaggio tondo in the Uffizi.
ISOLATION: The painting on the wall is a detail of “Mars and Venus; an Allegory of Peace” (1770), by Louis Jean Francois Lagrenee (1724-1805)
A PORTABLE EDEN: Background landscape based on JMW Turner’s “Crossing the Brook” (1815). Fairy figures lower left are from Philipp Otto Runge (1777-1810) “Arion’s Sea Journey”
NO LONGER TIED TO THE PAST: Background is based on William Mulready’s (1786-1863) “Near the Mall, Kensington Gravel Pits” (1812-13)
BEFORE THE MIRACLE: Setting is based on Orazio Gentileschi’s (1563-1639) “Annunciation” (1623)
A DREAM OF SAFETY: Landscape (and drapery) based on Gerard David’s (1460-1525) “Rest on the Flight to Egypt” (c.1510)
SLOW RECOVERY: Cornelis Van Spaendonck (1756-1839), “Still Life with Flowers” (1789)
INTROSPECTION: Medusa head is based on the Caravaggio tondo in the Uffizi.
RESUME
EDUCATION
MA, 1988 University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
BA, 1985 California State University, Northridge, California
AWARDS
2002 Creative Fellowship in Painting, Colorado Council on the Arts
1992 Creative Fellowship in Literature, Colorado Council on the Arts
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 A Portable Eden, George Billis Gallery LA, Los Angeles, CA
2020 Out of the Woods, LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM
2019 Private Island: A Suite of Eight Paintings," George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2018 Wes Hempel, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2017 George Billis Gallery, Culver City - Los Angeles, CA
2016 LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2016 Etherton Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2014 George Billis Gallery, Culver City - Los Angeles, CA
2014 New Work, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2012 Recent Paintings, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2011 Wes Hempel, LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2009 Tied to the Past, Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, CA, and New York, NY
2009 Wes Hempel, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2006 Injury and Desire, Jenkins Johnson Gallery. New York, NY
2005 Landscape Fragments, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2005 Collaborative and New Work, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2004 Revised Endings, Jenkins-Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2003 Plot Twists," Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2001 Fictional Accounts, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2000 The Canceled Field Trip, Claire Oliver Fine Art, Philadelphia, PA
1998 Wes Hempel, Paintings: The First Seven Years, University of Wyoming Art Museum, Laramie, WY Susan Moldenhauer, Curator
1998 Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1997 The Marriage of Fiction and History, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
1995 Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
1993 Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
1991 Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 Lavender Mist: Gay Men in Contemporary Art in Colorado,” McNichols Civic Center Bldg, Denver, CO (May 30-Sept 13)
2019 MALE GAZE: LIFE, LEGACY AND LEGEND," Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, New York, NY. (Feb. 17--March 31, 2019)
2015 Summer Group Exhibition, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2014 "RESONATING IMAGES III: THE CONTEMPORARY NARRATIVE EXPLORING THE FRONTIERS OF THE REPRESENTATIONAL," The William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA
2014 "COLLECT: THE ART OF COLORADO CORPORATIONS," Arvada Center for the Arts, Arvada, CO
2013 "CHANGING PERCEPTIONS OF THE WESTERN LANDSCAPE," Albuquerque Museum of Art & History, Albuquerque, NM
2010 "ARMORY SHOW," (Jenkins Johnson Gallery), New York
2010 "TWENTY TEN," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco
2010 "SUMMERTIME," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York & San Francisco
2009 "SUMMERTIME," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York & San Francisco
2009 "ART MIAMI," (Jenkins Johnson Gallery), Miami, Florida
2009 "HORIZONS," LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2009 "CONVERSATIONS," LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2009 "WINTER HAIKU," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York
2008 "FOCUS: THE FIGURE," Permanent Collection Galleries, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
2008 "THE FIGURE TODAY," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York & San Francisco
2008 "DIALOG CITY: DENVER," Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2008 "CELEBRATE SUMMER," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York & San Francisco
2008 "BEYOND REPRESENTATION," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco
2008 "THE ANNIVERSARY SHOW," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco
2008 "GRAND OPENING EXHIBITION," Federal Reserve Bank, Kansas City, MO
2008 "L.A. ARTFAIR," (LewAllen Contemporary), Santa Monica, CA
2008 "WINTER SELECTIONS," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York
2007 "BLUE," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York, New York
2007 "WINTER HAIKU," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francsico, California
2007 "REALationships: WORKS OF SURREAL INSPIRATION," Foothills Art Center, Golden, 2007 Colorado. (Curated by Michael Chavez)
2007 "30th ANNIVERSARY SHOW," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2007 "Los Angeles Art Fair," Los Angeles, California. (LewAllen Contemporary)
2006 "Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York, New York
2006 "Decades of Influence," Museum of Contemporary Art, and Center for Visual Arts, Denver, CO
2005 "A Tribute to J.B. Harter," Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans (catalog)
2005 "Seventh Annual Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco (catalog)
2005 "SMALL WORKS," LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2005 "Art in Colorado," Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado
2005 "Inaugural Exhibition," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York
2004 "Yarns," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2004 "Allure," Leslie Lohman Foundation, New York, New York
2004 "Sixth Annual Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco (catalog)
2004 "Contemporary Drawing," Eisentrager / Howard Gallery, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
2003 "Summer Group Exhibition," Tatistcheff Gallery, New York
2003 San Francisco International Art Exposition (Jenkins Johnson Gallery), San Francisco
2003 "Magic Realism: A New Generation," Sangre De Christo Art Center, Pueblo, Colorado
2003 "ConTEXT: Art & Words," Western Colorado Center for the Arts, Grand Junction, Colorado
2003 "Fifth Annual Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco (catalog)
2002 San Francisco International Art Exposition (Jenkins Johnson Gallery), San Francisco
2002 "Gallery Artists," Lizardi Harp Gallery, Los Angeles, California
2002 "Fourth Annual Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco (catalog)
2002 "Colorado Excellence in the Arts," Republic Plaza, Denver, Colorado
2002 "Reality Check: Contemporary Figurative Paintings by Wes Hempel. Enjeong Noh, and 2002 Ruprecht von Kaufmann," Davidson Gallery, Seattle, WA
2002 "Solace," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2002 "Small Works," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, California
2002 "Winter Group Show," Davidson Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2001 "Re-presenting Representation" The Corning Gallery, New York, New York
2001 "Art Miami," (Claire Oliver Fine Art) Miami, Florida
2001 "Third Annual Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, (catalog)
2001 "The Solitary Figure," Davidson Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2001 "The Dream Mill," Lakewood Cultural Center, Lakewood, Colorado
2001 ”The Male Vision: Wes Hempel, Gerard Huber, Wade Reynolds," Lizardi/Harp Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2000 "Art Miami," (Claire Oliver Fine Art) Miami, Florida (catalog)
2000 "Together/Working," Gallery of Contemporary Art, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
2000 "The Male Form in Contemporary Art," Hollywood Art Center, Hollywood, Florida
2000 "Thinking Outside the Box," Claire Oliver Fine Art, Philadelphia, Pa.
2000 "Dallas International Art Fair," (Claire Oliver Fine Art) Dallas, Texas
1999 "Art Miami," (Claire Oliver Fine Art) Miami, Florida (catalog)
1999 "Art Palm Beach," (Claire Oliver Fine Art) Palm Beach, Florida
1999 "Boston International Fine Art Show," (Claire Oliver Fine Art), Boston, Massachusetts
1999 "Corporate Collections '99," Republic Plaza, Denver, Colorado
1999 "Real to Surreal," Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Denver, Colorado
1999 "Re-presenting Representation IV," Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, New York
1998 "On the Occasion of Dreams," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1998 "New Acquisitions," Columbus Museum, Columbus, Georgia
1998 "Grand Opening Exhibition," Claire Oliver Fine Art, Philadelphia, Pa.
1998 "Paradise Lost: Evolving Visions of the Colorado Landscape," Colorado Mountain College, Glenwood Springs, Co.; Frances Chavez, Curator
1997 "Private Worlds: 200 Years of American Still Life Painting," Aspen Art Museum Aspen, Colorado; Julia Augur and Ann Daley, Curators (Catalog)
1997 "Art Fair, Seattle," (Robischon Gallery) Seattle, Washington
1995 "11th Annual Invitational Exhibition," Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash.
1994 "Focus on Colorado/The Front Range: Wes Hempel, Jack Balas and Scott Chamberlin," Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, Colorado
1994 "You Call That Art?" One West Art Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
1994 "Caste of Stone," Boulder Public Library, Boulder, Colorado
1994 "Art Fair, Seattle," (Robischon Gallery) Seattle, Washington
1993 "Boulder Flow," Sibell-Wolle Gallery, University of Colorado, Boulder
1993 "2 Much," UMC Gallery, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
1993 "Holy Wars," Arte Vitale Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1991 "Small Sculpture," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1990 "Small Sculpture," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1990 "The Right to View," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1988 "Objects and Place," Sibell-Wolle Gallery, University of Colorado, Boulder
1987 "Boxes/Books," River Art Works, Denver, Colorado
PUBLIC & CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT
Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, New York
Columbus Museum, Columbus, Georgia
Leslie Lohman Foundation, New York, NY
Federal Reserve Bank, Kansas City, Missouri
Microsoft Corporation, Seattle, Washington
Styskal, Wiese & Melchione, Los Angeles, California
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Denver, Colorado
Borgen Investment Group, Inc., Denver, Colorado
First Western Trust Bank, Denver, Colorado
PUBLICATIONS
2014 Wes Hempel, Re-envisioning Art History; American Art Collector, November
2012 Gorgeous Gallery: The Best in Gay Erotic Art. by David Leddick, Bruno Gmunder, Berlin. pp. 32-35.
2009 Powerfully Beautiful: Classically Inspired Living Painters of the Male Figure (Volume 1), Firehouse Studio Publishing
2008 American Art Collector, August. "Season of Abundance," by John O"hern.
2008 The Nude Male: 21st Century Visions, David Leddick, Universe Publishing / Rizzoli, p. 102
2008 Elements of Literature, Fourth Course (high school textbook), Holt, Rinehart & Winston
2008 Menninger Perspective Medical Journal
2006 American Art Collector, September. (Artist's Profile)
2005 Southwest Art, October. "Personal Mythologies: Wes Hempel's Narrative Paintings Reveal Revisionist Cultural Views with a Purposeful Ambiguity." By Devon Jackson. pp.132-135, 201.
2005 Pleides Literary Journal, Vol 25, No 2 (cover)
2003 XY Magazine #41 San Diego, California. "No Worry is Necessary on Your Part: Paintings by Wes Hempel," (portfolio) pp. 19-25.
2003 Blue #47 (November), Studio Magazines, Sydney, Australia. "Modern History," (portfolio of paintings) pp. 60-67
2002 Great American Writers of the Twentieth Century, Vol 7, Marshall Cavendish Publishers
2001 Dialogos con Leuco, Cesare Pavese, Tusquets Editores, Barcelona, Spain, cover
2001 Male Nude Now, David Leddick, Universe Publishing/Rizzoli, pp. 62-63
2000 Naked Men Too, David Leddick, Universe Publishing/ Rizzoli, pp. 134-135
2000 New American Paintings #30 (November), The Open Studios Press, Wellesley, Mass., Michael Lash, Director of Public Arts, City of Chicago, Curator. pp.98-101
1999 The Humanist Tendency, Claire Oliver Fine Art
1999 Representing Representation, Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, New York
1997 New American Paintings #12 (October), The Open Studios Press, Wellesley, Mass., Jeffrey Weiss, Dept. of 20th Century Art, National Gallery of Art Washington D.C., Curator. pp. 26-27
SELECTED EXHIBITION REVIEWS
2016 "Past As Prologue," by Margaret Regan; Tucson Weekly, February 18, 2016, p. 18.
2016 "Palette of Talent: Gallerist George Billis has an Eye for Spotting the Next Big Artists," by David Masello; CBS Watch Magazine, October 2016, p. 102
2015 "El Pintor Californiano Wes Hempel," by Omar Gomez Gutierrez. Milenio (Grupos Multimedios Mexico City )(Mexico), August 7, 2015
2014 "Anzugtrager in Der Wuste: Wes Hempel Pfeift Auf Gewohnheiten," by Felix Just, Mate Magazine (Berlin) Winter, 2014
2014 "Wes Hempel and an Open Art History," by Jeffrey Carlson. Fine Art Today (online) February 2014
2014 "Wes Hempel at George Billis Gallery," by Stephanie Buhmann. The Villager Newspaper (New York City). October 2, 2014.
2014 "Wes Hempel at George Billis Gallery." Best Gay New York (New York City). July 30, 2014
2014 "Wes Hempel Has Something For Everyone," by Benjamin Lindsay. Next Magazine (New York City), Sept. 26, 2014
2014 "Wes Hempel Chelsea North." Time Out New York. (New York City). September 18, 2014.
2014 "Wes Hempel New Paintings." The Art Voice (Los Angeles). January 31, 2014
2013 "Art Scene Full of Wonderful Things," by Wesley Pulkka, Albuquerque Journal (New Mexico) Dec 29, 2013 (image)
2012 "Homoerotic Art Meets Fine Art in Gorgeous Gallery," by Daniel Villanueva, Outword Magazine, Sacramento, CA.
2011 "Revisioning Art History," by Kate McGraw; Albuquerque Journal / Venue (New Mexico) April 1, 2011
2011 "Pintura Wes Hempel," Gay Files de Luis, Wordpress.com, December 8, 2011
2010 "Conversations at LewAllen Galleries" by Harmony Hammond, Albuquerque Journal, (New Mexico) Jan 1, 2010
2006 "The New Male Gaze: Artists Wes Hempel and Jack Balas Revisit the Male Figure," by Rafael Risemberg THE NEW YORK BLADE. Sep. 18, 2006
2005 "Teamworks," by Mary Voelz Chandler, ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS (Denver). October 5, p. 10D.
2005 "Changing Scenes," by Michael Paglia, WESTWORD (Denver). Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2005. p.56.
MA, 1988 University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
BA, 1985 California State University, Northridge, California
AWARDS
2002 Creative Fellowship in Painting, Colorado Council on the Arts
1992 Creative Fellowship in Literature, Colorado Council on the Arts
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 A Portable Eden, George Billis Gallery LA, Los Angeles, CA
2020 Out of the Woods, LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM
2019 Private Island: A Suite of Eight Paintings," George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2018 Wes Hempel, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2017 George Billis Gallery, Culver City - Los Angeles, CA
2016 LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2016 Etherton Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2014 George Billis Gallery, Culver City - Los Angeles, CA
2014 New Work, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2012 Recent Paintings, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2011 Wes Hempel, LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2009 Tied to the Past, Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, CA, and New York, NY
2009 Wes Hempel, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2006 Injury and Desire, Jenkins Johnson Gallery. New York, NY
2005 Landscape Fragments, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2005 Collaborative and New Work, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2004 Revised Endings, Jenkins-Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2003 Plot Twists," Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2001 Fictional Accounts, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2000 The Canceled Field Trip, Claire Oliver Fine Art, Philadelphia, PA
1998 Wes Hempel, Paintings: The First Seven Years, University of Wyoming Art Museum, Laramie, WY Susan Moldenhauer, Curator
1998 Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1997 The Marriage of Fiction and History, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
1995 Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
1993 Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
1991 Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 Lavender Mist: Gay Men in Contemporary Art in Colorado,” McNichols Civic Center Bldg, Denver, CO (May 30-Sept 13)
2019 MALE GAZE: LIFE, LEGACY AND LEGEND," Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, New York, NY. (Feb. 17--March 31, 2019)
2015 Summer Group Exhibition, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2014 "RESONATING IMAGES III: THE CONTEMPORARY NARRATIVE EXPLORING THE FRONTIERS OF THE REPRESENTATIONAL," The William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA
2014 "COLLECT: THE ART OF COLORADO CORPORATIONS," Arvada Center for the Arts, Arvada, CO
2013 "CHANGING PERCEPTIONS OF THE WESTERN LANDSCAPE," Albuquerque Museum of Art & History, Albuquerque, NM
2010 "ARMORY SHOW," (Jenkins Johnson Gallery), New York
2010 "TWENTY TEN," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco
2010 "SUMMERTIME," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York & San Francisco
2009 "SUMMERTIME," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York & San Francisco
2009 "ART MIAMI," (Jenkins Johnson Gallery), Miami, Florida
2009 "HORIZONS," LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2009 "CONVERSATIONS," LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2009 "WINTER HAIKU," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York
2008 "FOCUS: THE FIGURE," Permanent Collection Galleries, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
2008 "THE FIGURE TODAY," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York & San Francisco
2008 "DIALOG CITY: DENVER," Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
2008 "CELEBRATE SUMMER," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York & San Francisco
2008 "BEYOND REPRESENTATION," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco
2008 "THE ANNIVERSARY SHOW," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco
2008 "GRAND OPENING EXHIBITION," Federal Reserve Bank, Kansas City, MO
2008 "L.A. ARTFAIR," (LewAllen Contemporary), Santa Monica, CA
2008 "WINTER SELECTIONS," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York
2007 "BLUE," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York, New York
2007 "WINTER HAIKU," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francsico, California
2007 "REALationships: WORKS OF SURREAL INSPIRATION," Foothills Art Center, Golden, 2007 Colorado. (Curated by Michael Chavez)
2007 "30th ANNIVERSARY SHOW," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2007 "Los Angeles Art Fair," Los Angeles, California. (LewAllen Contemporary)
2006 "Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York, New York
2006 "Decades of Influence," Museum of Contemporary Art, and Center for Visual Arts, Denver, CO
2005 "A Tribute to J.B. Harter," Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans (catalog)
2005 "Seventh Annual Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco (catalog)
2005 "SMALL WORKS," LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2005 "Art in Colorado," Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado
2005 "Inaugural Exhibition," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York
2004 "Yarns," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2004 "Allure," Leslie Lohman Foundation, New York, New York
2004 "Sixth Annual Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco (catalog)
2004 "Contemporary Drawing," Eisentrager / Howard Gallery, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
2003 "Summer Group Exhibition," Tatistcheff Gallery, New York
2003 San Francisco International Art Exposition (Jenkins Johnson Gallery), San Francisco
2003 "Magic Realism: A New Generation," Sangre De Christo Art Center, Pueblo, Colorado
2003 "ConTEXT: Art & Words," Western Colorado Center for the Arts, Grand Junction, Colorado
2003 "Fifth Annual Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco (catalog)
2002 San Francisco International Art Exposition (Jenkins Johnson Gallery), San Francisco
2002 "Gallery Artists," Lizardi Harp Gallery, Los Angeles, California
2002 "Fourth Annual Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco (catalog)
2002 "Colorado Excellence in the Arts," Republic Plaza, Denver, Colorado
2002 "Reality Check: Contemporary Figurative Paintings by Wes Hempel. Enjeong Noh, and 2002 Ruprecht von Kaufmann," Davidson Gallery, Seattle, WA
2002 "Solace," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2002 "Small Works," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, California
2002 "Winter Group Show," Davidson Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2001 "Re-presenting Representation" The Corning Gallery, New York, New York
2001 "Art Miami," (Claire Oliver Fine Art) Miami, Florida
2001 "Third Annual Realism Invitational," Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, (catalog)
2001 "The Solitary Figure," Davidson Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2001 "The Dream Mill," Lakewood Cultural Center, Lakewood, Colorado
2001 ”The Male Vision: Wes Hempel, Gerard Huber, Wade Reynolds," Lizardi/Harp Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2000 "Art Miami," (Claire Oliver Fine Art) Miami, Florida (catalog)
2000 "Together/Working," Gallery of Contemporary Art, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
2000 "The Male Form in Contemporary Art," Hollywood Art Center, Hollywood, Florida
2000 "Thinking Outside the Box," Claire Oliver Fine Art, Philadelphia, Pa.
2000 "Dallas International Art Fair," (Claire Oliver Fine Art) Dallas, Texas
1999 "Art Miami," (Claire Oliver Fine Art) Miami, Florida (catalog)
1999 "Art Palm Beach," (Claire Oliver Fine Art) Palm Beach, Florida
1999 "Boston International Fine Art Show," (Claire Oliver Fine Art), Boston, Massachusetts
1999 "Corporate Collections '99," Republic Plaza, Denver, Colorado
1999 "Real to Surreal," Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Denver, Colorado
1999 "Re-presenting Representation IV," Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, New York
1998 "On the Occasion of Dreams," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1998 "New Acquisitions," Columbus Museum, Columbus, Georgia
1998 "Grand Opening Exhibition," Claire Oliver Fine Art, Philadelphia, Pa.
1998 "Paradise Lost: Evolving Visions of the Colorado Landscape," Colorado Mountain College, Glenwood Springs, Co.; Frances Chavez, Curator
1997 "Private Worlds: 200 Years of American Still Life Painting," Aspen Art Museum Aspen, Colorado; Julia Augur and Ann Daley, Curators (Catalog)
1997 "Art Fair, Seattle," (Robischon Gallery) Seattle, Washington
1995 "11th Annual Invitational Exhibition," Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash.
1994 "Focus on Colorado/The Front Range: Wes Hempel, Jack Balas and Scott Chamberlin," Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, Colorado
1994 "You Call That Art?" One West Art Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
1994 "Caste of Stone," Boulder Public Library, Boulder, Colorado
1994 "Art Fair, Seattle," (Robischon Gallery) Seattle, Washington
1993 "Boulder Flow," Sibell-Wolle Gallery, University of Colorado, Boulder
1993 "2 Much," UMC Gallery, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
1993 "Holy Wars," Arte Vitale Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1991 "Small Sculpture," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1990 "Small Sculpture," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1990 "The Right to View," Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1988 "Objects and Place," Sibell-Wolle Gallery, University of Colorado, Boulder
1987 "Boxes/Books," River Art Works, Denver, Colorado
PUBLIC & CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT
Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, New York
Columbus Museum, Columbus, Georgia
Leslie Lohman Foundation, New York, NY
Federal Reserve Bank, Kansas City, Missouri
Microsoft Corporation, Seattle, Washington
Styskal, Wiese & Melchione, Los Angeles, California
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Denver, Colorado
Borgen Investment Group, Inc., Denver, Colorado
First Western Trust Bank, Denver, Colorado
PUBLICATIONS
2014 Wes Hempel, Re-envisioning Art History; American Art Collector, November
2012 Gorgeous Gallery: The Best in Gay Erotic Art. by David Leddick, Bruno Gmunder, Berlin. pp. 32-35.
2009 Powerfully Beautiful: Classically Inspired Living Painters of the Male Figure (Volume 1), Firehouse Studio Publishing
2008 American Art Collector, August. "Season of Abundance," by John O"hern.
2008 The Nude Male: 21st Century Visions, David Leddick, Universe Publishing / Rizzoli, p. 102
2008 Elements of Literature, Fourth Course (high school textbook), Holt, Rinehart & Winston
2008 Menninger Perspective Medical Journal
2006 American Art Collector, September. (Artist's Profile)
2005 Southwest Art, October. "Personal Mythologies: Wes Hempel's Narrative Paintings Reveal Revisionist Cultural Views with a Purposeful Ambiguity." By Devon Jackson. pp.132-135, 201.
2005 Pleides Literary Journal, Vol 25, No 2 (cover)
2003 XY Magazine #41 San Diego, California. "No Worry is Necessary on Your Part: Paintings by Wes Hempel," (portfolio) pp. 19-25.
2003 Blue #47 (November), Studio Magazines, Sydney, Australia. "Modern History," (portfolio of paintings) pp. 60-67
2002 Great American Writers of the Twentieth Century, Vol 7, Marshall Cavendish Publishers
2001 Dialogos con Leuco, Cesare Pavese, Tusquets Editores, Barcelona, Spain, cover
2001 Male Nude Now, David Leddick, Universe Publishing/Rizzoli, pp. 62-63
2000 Naked Men Too, David Leddick, Universe Publishing/ Rizzoli, pp. 134-135
2000 New American Paintings #30 (November), The Open Studios Press, Wellesley, Mass., Michael Lash, Director of Public Arts, City of Chicago, Curator. pp.98-101
1999 The Humanist Tendency, Claire Oliver Fine Art
1999 Representing Representation, Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, New York
1997 New American Paintings #12 (October), The Open Studios Press, Wellesley, Mass., Jeffrey Weiss, Dept. of 20th Century Art, National Gallery of Art Washington D.C., Curator. pp. 26-27
SELECTED EXHIBITION REVIEWS
2016 "Past As Prologue," by Margaret Regan; Tucson Weekly, February 18, 2016, p. 18.
2016 "Palette of Talent: Gallerist George Billis has an Eye for Spotting the Next Big Artists," by David Masello; CBS Watch Magazine, October 2016, p. 102
2015 "El Pintor Californiano Wes Hempel," by Omar Gomez Gutierrez. Milenio (Grupos Multimedios Mexico City )(Mexico), August 7, 2015
2014 "Anzugtrager in Der Wuste: Wes Hempel Pfeift Auf Gewohnheiten," by Felix Just, Mate Magazine (Berlin) Winter, 2014
2014 "Wes Hempel and an Open Art History," by Jeffrey Carlson. Fine Art Today (online) February 2014
2014 "Wes Hempel at George Billis Gallery," by Stephanie Buhmann. The Villager Newspaper (New York City). October 2, 2014.
2014 "Wes Hempel at George Billis Gallery." Best Gay New York (New York City). July 30, 2014
2014 "Wes Hempel Has Something For Everyone," by Benjamin Lindsay. Next Magazine (New York City), Sept. 26, 2014
2014 "Wes Hempel Chelsea North." Time Out New York. (New York City). September 18, 2014.
2014 "Wes Hempel New Paintings." The Art Voice (Los Angeles). January 31, 2014
2013 "Art Scene Full of Wonderful Things," by Wesley Pulkka, Albuquerque Journal (New Mexico) Dec 29, 2013 (image)
2012 "Homoerotic Art Meets Fine Art in Gorgeous Gallery," by Daniel Villanueva, Outword Magazine, Sacramento, CA.
2011 "Revisioning Art History," by Kate McGraw; Albuquerque Journal / Venue (New Mexico) April 1, 2011
2011 "Pintura Wes Hempel," Gay Files de Luis, Wordpress.com, December 8, 2011
2010 "Conversations at LewAllen Galleries" by Harmony Hammond, Albuquerque Journal, (New Mexico) Jan 1, 2010
2006 "The New Male Gaze: Artists Wes Hempel and Jack Balas Revisit the Male Figure," by Rafael Risemberg THE NEW YORK BLADE. Sep. 18, 2006
2005 "Teamworks," by Mary Voelz Chandler, ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS (Denver). October 5, p. 10D.
2005 "Changing Scenes," by Michael Paglia, WESTWORD (Denver). Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2005. p.56.